Chances
by WeBuiltThePyramids
Summary: "Mom, I don't want to go." Paige and Ralph talk after she returns from the garage - set post Cliffhanger.


**I wanted to write something about the time between Paige leaving the garage at the end of Cliffhanger and her and Ralph discovering what's happened to Walter in Postcards from the Edge. Hopefully that episode's airing won't completely contradict this stuff, but if it does, oh well, this was fun to write, despite being quite angsty.**

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"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Drew asks, putting his hands on his hips.

She nods. "It's a good move for you. And...and it's probably a good move for Ralph and I, too."

"Well, I can't say I disagree. He's far too young to be hanging out with those loons."

Paige doesn't like his word choice, but she doesn't protest. Not this time. She's had a long enough day-and she's in agreement with him in regards to Ralph's safety anyway.

"You okay?"

"I'm all strung out," Paige says. "Mentally. Emotionally. But I'll be okay. I always am."

Drew sighs, looking down. He nods. "I will let them know, then. Good night."

"Yeah. Night."

Drew leaves. Paige stares at the floor.

"Mom?"

She looks over at the couch, where her son has been sleeping. He's propped up on his elbow, the fluffy blanket falling off his shoulders. "Hey, honey," she says, crossing the room and kneeling in front of him. "How are you feeling?"

"Mom, I don't want to go."

Paige exhales painfully. "Sweetheart, this is a wonderful opportunity for Dad."

"You guys aren't married. Why do _we_ have to go too?"

"Don't you want to be able to see him?"

Ralph bites his lip. "Yes. But I'm seeing him here. Maine is far away. Over eight hours flying time with a layover. Up to fourteen hours with two."

"And if he moves to Maine and we don't, that's how long it would take him to come and see you. If we move, you can see him every day."

"But what about Walter?" Ralph sits up.

"Walter isn't your dad, Ralph."

Ralph looks genuinely confused. "I _know_ that." He picks at the blanket with his fingers. "But they're our family, Mom. At the garage. They're my _people_."

Paige blinks away tears. "I know, baby. I know. Trust me, this is one of the hardest decisions I've _ever_ had to make, but this is what's best for you. You need your father, and you need to be safe, and Maine will give you both of those things."

"But what about you? I see how much you talk to Walter. Won't you miss him? And what will Sly do without you?"

"You are my most important thing, Ralph. How I feel always takes a back seat. Sometimes you have to make really, really tough decisions to take care of your most important thing. Uncle Toby told me that. And my most important thing isn't Walter. Or Sly or Toby or Happy or Cabe. It's you."

She's struggling. Her maternal instincts are telling her moving to Maine is the best option. But Walter's voice in her head is still echoing, echoing back from the day they met and he told her that Ralph responded so well to him and his team because _he recognizes one of his own._ The part of her that was growing to understand that world was the part telling her that taking Ralph away from those people wasn't good for him.

_God, if only they'd stuck safe things like setting up wifi, this would all be perfect._

"What?"

"What?" Paige wonders if she'd spoken the words aloud or if Ralph could tell her conflict by body language. She clears her throat. "Let's get you to bed."

Ralph reaches for her hand as they walk down the hall, curling his fingers around hers – an action that makes Paige look down at him with wide eyes. Is it Drew's presence that was teaching Ralph how to understand contact? Is it Team Scorpion, with their range of I.Q. and E.Q. and their ability to explain the science behind longing and touch? Is Paige's continued understanding of how left brained people operate helping her son in turn understand the sorts of things _she_ cherishes?

She knows the answer. It's all of the above. Ralph needs his mother, his father, and everyone at the garage in order to grow into his potential.

But to do that, in order to reach any potential at all, Ralph needs, first and foremost, to make it to adulthood.

"Mom, do we _really_ have to go?" he asks again, as she tucks him in.

She doesn't blink fast enough and a tear escapes and begins its descent down her cheek. She puts a hand gently on the top of his head. "Yes Ralph. We have to go."

Ralph closes his eyes dejectedly, and Paige kisses his forehead before standing up and moving silently over to the wall. She turns off the lights and closes the door behind her, then wanders back out into the living area. Sinking down on the couch, she clutches the blanket to her chest and lets the tears fall.

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**I wanted to show Paige's conflict here – both how she wants Ralph to be safe but really isn't sure if taking him away from the geniuses will be good for him mentally, and also her longing to stay and be around Walter and the rest of the team. I tried to do that second part more subtly, as it is there, but Ralph is her priority and she's keeping her feelings for Walter on the back burner because Ralph's more important.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought!**


End file.
